Cosplayer called 'racist' for dressing as black character

[SlamAdams]

I clarified in my previous post but I'll reiterate it here. It used to be done in plays and the like to depict people of other races or as supernatural beings. Wearing full-face makeup is not something that suddenly happened during the late 1800's and it was not always intended to be denigrating.

Right. Instead of allowing people of that race to participate in plays. Essentially, white actors taking jobs from black actors. Hence it being racist.

 

[Teelie]

You cannot apply modern culture and mentality to cultures and mentalities from hundreds to thousands of years ago and expect it to sync up.

There is no reasoning in this thread.

 

[SlamAdams]

There is no reasoning in this thread.

Tell me about it

 

[Teelie]

I just did. I added why there is no reasoning.

 

[SlamAdams]

I just did. I added why there is no reasoning.

I was making an analogy. White actors were still taking roles that could be given to people of the race they were pretending to be, no? The biggest, most enduring aspect of racism is that non-white people aren't getting the same opportunities as white people.

 

[Travesty]

I don't think you get what I mean and I don't see a point in going in circles over it.

This is how I see it. Blackface, yellowface, whiteface, redface [insert race]face is racist. That's intent on mocking or denigrating another race.

Wearing makeup to appear as another race is not necessarily racist though. The cosplayer in this instance was not racist even if she was offensive to some people. What she did wasn't blackface even if it resembled it.

Intent and context should matter, even if it still offends people.

/thread

 

[Teelie]

And that's changing as well. Society doesn't change over night but there is progress. It's never going to be as fast or instant as you want though. If it were we wouldn't have this discussion in the first place.

 

[SlamAdams]

And that's changing as well. Society doesn't change over night but there is progress. It's never going to be as fast or instant as you want though. If it were we wouldn't have this discussion in the first place.

Of course its changing, but that's not the point. People didn't like what she did. They were outspoken about it. They are sensitive about it for good reasons. But no one wants to have empathy for those people. They just want to make sure this girl can continue playing with makeup. I don't think that's very fair either.

 

[Enriquespy]

The make up was skillfully made.

She did acted a little bit too self rigtheous about it.

 

[Feenix]

Yes, as an African-American, there's nothing more flattering than black-face.

This woman may not have had racist intent but she's damn sure ignorant no matter what country she's from.

She wanted to make the cosplay as real as possible and kept true to the character by putting on black makeup.

The only one who has a right to be offended by this is the actress she dressed up as. If the actress has no problem with it, why should you?

To me, intent is what matters here. Her intentions weren't racist.

 

[Pink Ranger]

As an Asian person, I realize there is a difference between a white guy putting on a black wig so he can cosplay an anime character and a white guy wearing a black wig, bucked teeth and painted eyebrows to play Mr. Yunioshi.

However, blackface has a particularly odious history, and should really not even be attempted by any sane person at all. There's no reason for this person not knowing that; if you are so well versed in American culture that you are a huge Walking Dead fan, then you should know enough about how blackface is just totally ****ed up.

Anybody here who knows me here knows that I am generally not in favour treating one racial group over another when it comes to degrees of racial discrimination, but blackface is clearly one case where it is warranted.

 

[Feenix]

Would it really have been better for this woman to make the character "white?" Or not attempt it at all? She likes the character and she wanted to do it justice. I don't see an issue here. It's not like she put on a black mask, she painted her face.

People get all bent out of shape when their favourite characters are played by someone of a different race. This woman wanted to be true to the character and dressed up accordingly.

 

[chaseter]

She's not acting though

She's not lampooning either...which is what blackface used to be.

 

[BatmanVSuperman]

White actors were still taking roles that could be given to people of the race they were pretending to be, no?

What movies have you been watching lately where a white person is playing a black person?

 

[newbrando]

If her intent was to put on a "black face" and mock black people, then yes, that is racist.
However, if her intent was to look like one of her favourite characters from a television show (which it looks like this is), then how could it possibly be racist?

First off, I don’t think the cosplay woman was trying to be racist. But, most people don’t intend to be offensive when they offend people. It’s usually an oversight or a moment of insensitivity that leads to offense, which is fine. We’re all humans, we’re going to accidentally offend someone sometime. It’s how a person deals with the results of their offending someone that shows their character.

If she loves TWD so much and she was trying so hard to get into the character, why couldn’t she listen and understand that the character and the actress she is emulating come from a nation where there was a history of people that looked like her being mocked by white people who put dark polish on their face, enlarged their noses and put on fake hair to ridicule the black race? You would think she’d be slightly interested in that if she really cares about the character.

The best way I can relate it is when skinny people dress up as fat people for entertainment or “research”. And then when overweight people point out why they took offense, the skinny person just says, “Whatever haters. More clicks for me! Booyah!!” A person from a more privileged position should show the consideration of at least listening when people from a marginalized group explain how seeing their image/heritage reflected back to them feels inauthentic. I mean we’ve gone through this 70 eleven times with the Native Americans. Just stop borrowing other people’s culture “cause it looks pretty cool” if you can’t even be bothered to research and acknowledge that culture’s struggles.

 

[chamber-music]

I don't think this girl was race just ignorant to the historic racial connotation that go with racial imitation.

If you want to cosplay as a race different from your own just wear a costume you don't need to blackface, whiteface and so on. You don't need to 'method' cosplay.

 

[SuperT]

he only one who has a right to be offended by this is the actress she dressed up as. If the actress has no problem with it, why should you?

Where does this logic come from?! People have the right to be offended by whatever they want, the actress doesn't speak for all black people. If the actress is fine with it (which I HIGHLY doubt) that doesn't mean all black people are fine with it.

We're not a hive mind. lol

To me, intent is what matters here. Her intentions weren't racist.

Her intent doesn't negate the fact that it's still incredibly racist. The intent excuse is just a way to let someone keep getting away with being ignorant, if you don't ever point out ignorant crap when will it ever stop?

 

[Enriquespy]

Its only racist in the imagination of someone who thinks it is.

It being offensive to you for what you know doesn't actually makes it a real offence.

Making up as people of diferent skin colors should be a normal thing in cosplay, no reason not to.

 

[Feenix]

Where does this logic come from?! People have the right to be offended by whatever they want, the actresses doesn't speak for all black people. If the actress is fine with it (which I HIGHLY doubt) that doesn't mean all black people are fine with it.

We're not a hive mind. lol



Her intent doesn't negate the fact that it's still incredibly racist. The intent excuse is just a way to let someone keep getting away with being ignorant, if you don't ever point out ignorant crap when will it ever stop?

The point is that just because YOU think something is offensive, doesn't mean it is. See this for what it is - cosplay. Nothing more. She's not dressing up as a black woman to make fun of blacks. She's doing it out of admiration for the character. I think she knew perfectly well the implication of blackface, but her intent overrode the need to be politically correct.

She did the character justice. It was done in a way to flatter the character and not to mock it. She looked good. That's really all that matters.

 

[Destructus86]

So...it's ok to dress up as an alien or a skanky over sexualized anime character...but suddenly someone dresses up as a black character and it's a huge deal?

 

[Feenix]

This whole thing reminds me of Halloween and the BS that goes on when it comes to costumes.

Satan is fair game, but I bet anyone who dressed up as a black character if they were white would get blasted.

Why is it okay to dress up as the greatest evil known to the Christian world, but it's not okay to dress up as your favourite TV character because they're black and you're white?

 

[SuperT]

The point is that just because YOU think something is offensive, doesn't mean it is.

Vice versa, my friend. Just because YOU don't think something is wrong, offensive, or hurtful doesn't mean it isn't

 

[Feenix]

I think people need a thicker skin when it comes to things like this.

Just remember guys, it's okay to dress up as Satan, but don't dress up as a black/Asian/Hispanic person if you're white.

 

[SuperT]

Just remember guys, it's okay to dress up as Satan, but don't dress up as a black/Asian/Hispanic person if you're white.

So now you're putting us on the level of costumes? You do realize that your first example is a fictional being while your second three examples are actual, real living people.

We're not placed here for the majority to reduce us to stereotypes and costumes they can use to appropriate and play dress up.

 

[Snow Queen]

So, for those who take issue with this, would you rather she just cosplay as a white version of the character?